


simple secret of the plot

by lotts (LottieAnna)



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Making Out, Summer, Superbuddies to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 12:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11231091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LottieAnna/pseuds/lotts
Summary: Nate’s had his arm around Mikey for the past ten minutes, and they’re hanging out in Mikey’s backyard. They’ve each had a few beers, and they’re not even talking, just fucking around on their phones and enjoying the sun.Then, Nate turns to Mikey and says, “You know, it’s weird that we’ve never made out.”





	simple secret of the plot

**Author's Note:**

> IF YOU FOUND THIS THROUGH GOOGLING, KNOW ANYONE MENTIONED IN THIS STORY PERSONALLY, OR ARE MENTIONED YOURSELF: please, please click away. This is a work of fiction and nothing written in this story is true. Any accurate information used in this story is publicly available information about public figures, the rest is made up, 100%.
> 
> Always thanks to ftc for catching my spelling mistakes, and tots for lending this their eyes. Shoutout to my partner, who doesn't care about hockey or fanfiction but read and enjoyed this anyway. Title from "I Could Write A Book" 
> 
> This wouldn't exist without their Instagram comments.

 

Nate’s had his arm around Mikey for the past ten minutes, and they’re hanging out in Mikey’s backyard. They’ve each had a few beers, and they’re not even talking, just fucking around on their phones and enjoying the sun. 

Then, Nate turns to Mikey and says, “You know, it’s weird that we’ve never made out.” 

Mikey doesn’t think he’s heard him right for a second, but he replays the moment in his head, and yeah, that’s exactly what Nate said. 

He ignores the nervous feeling in his stomach as he says, “Why’s it weird?” 

Nate shrugs. “I dunno. Just feels like it would’ve happened, you know?” 

“Have you made out with most of your friends?” Mikey asks. 

“Well, no,” Nate says, “but we’re hashtag superbuddies, y’know?” 

Mikey rolls his eyes. “I don’t think most best friends have made out, either.” 

“Best friends, maybe, but superbuddies is next level.” 

“I’m confused, are you asking me to make out with you?” 

Nate shrugs, and Mikey sighs. 

The thing is, Mikey’s been into Nate for pretty much as long as he’s known him, and he’s okay with it, really. He doesn’t think Nate’s into him, and that’s fine. Years of weirdly close friendship do wonders when you’re trying to avoid your feelings. 

Things like this make it kind of hard, though. 

“I mean, I’m not  _ not  _ asking you,” Nate says. 

“Either you’re asking me, or you aren’t,” Mikey says. 

“Would it be weird if I was?” Nate asks. 

“I mean, this whole conversation is weird anyway,” Mikey says. 

“But like,” Nate says, “would you say yes?” 

“You’d have to ask me to know,” Mikey says wryly, and the conversation ends there. 

It’s probably a good thing, but Mikey can’t help but wish it had gone differently, anyway. 

* * *

Of course Nate brings it up again the next day, while Mikey is driving, no less.

“Have you ever, like, thought about making out with me?” he asks.

“No,” Mikey lies. 

“I’ve thought about making out with you,” Nate says. 

Mikey ignores the butterflies in his stomach. “Duh. We’re having this conversation.” 

“I think it’s a good idea,” Nate says, crossing his arms like he’s taking some sort of stance. 

“Great,” Mikey says. 

“‘Great’? That’s it?” Nate says. “No more reaction?” 

Mikey shrugs. Nate doesn’t want to make out with Mikey the way Mikey wants to make out with him, so Mikey’s not going to be the one to start anything. 

“Alright, well, I think we should make out,” Nate says. “What do you think of that?”

“I don’t know,” Mikey says, and he feels his face turning red. 

“What does that mean?” asks Nate. 

“It means that I don’t know, okay?” Mikey says. He feels trapped, but he knows it’s coming across as angry, and he hates hearing that snap in his voice, especially when it’s directed at Nate. 

Nate looks wounded for a second, but then his face turns thoughtful. “Alright, you don’t know,” he says. “Cool.” 

“Cool,” Mikey agrees. 

“You think it could be a bad idea,” Nate says, “but it could also be a good one.” 

“More or less, yeah,” Mikey says, trying to keep his voice neutral. 

“So if I asked you right now, what would you say?” Nate asks. 

“I’d say I’m driving,” Mikey replies. 

“Okay, so that’s a no, then,” Nate asks. “For now.” 

“Yep,” Mikey says. He doesn’t know whether he should be happy or terrified, so he resigns himself to both. 

“And later?” Nate asks. 

Mikey shrugs. “Ask me then.” 

* * *

The next time they get into the car, Nate starts talking about things that don’t involve making out with Mikey.

Mikey’s not upset about it. He’s  _ not.  _ Nate not bothering him about making out is a good thing. He doesn’t want to be angry or flustered or confused, because he’s spending time with his best friend in the summer. Talking about making out with each other will not do anything to help him enjoy it. 

Except. 

He’s 19, and kind of hopelessly crushing on his best friend, and he’s maybe a little selfish, and liked pretending that Nate could maybe want to kiss him for the right reasons.

But whatever, it’s for the best. He’s happy to drive them to the Bastian house and not talk about, or think about, making out with Nate. 

Even if talking about making out with Nate would be more fun. 

Honestly, actually making out with Nate would be way more fun than talking at all. 

_ Get it together, McLeod,  _ he tells himself, and grips the steering wheel a little harder than normal.

* * *

“So back to the whole making out thing–” Nate says, while they’re hanging out in his bedroom later.

Mikey falls off the bed, but in his defense, Nate didn’t leave him enough room anyway, so he’s been sort of balancing on the edge. Plus, he’s really, really surprised. 

“Jeez,” Mikey says. “Give a guy some warning.” 

“Sorry, every scouting report on you just flashed through my mind,” Nate says, unapologetic. “Top talent. Dynamic. Falls off beds at the mention of kissing.”

“It’s because you’re too fucking big to share a bed with,” Mikey says. 

“Yet you do it anyway,” Nate points out, which is a fair point, but Mikey is stubborn. 

“You’re the worst superbuddy I’ve ever had,” Mikey says, and Nate makes a faux-hurt face. 

“You wound me,” he says. “But anyway, back to making out.” 

“Right, that,” Mikey says, trying to keep his voice neutral as he sits on the edge of the bed. 

“So I’ve concluded that you either want to make out with me, or you hate that I asked in the first place.” 

The answer is honestly both, but Mikey just says, “You haven’t asked me yet.” 

Nate furrows his brow. “I haven’t?” 

Mikey shakes his head and avoids Nate’s eyes. 

“Okay, well, do you want to–” 

“Why do you want to?” Mikey asks, because he really doesn’t want to answer that question. 

“I–” Nate says, clearly taken aback. “I don’t know, I just thought it would be fun.” 

“Fun,” Mikey repeats. “Right. But like, why?”

“Because we’re best friends, and making out is fun, and like– I don’t know,” Nate says. 

“I mean,” Mikey says, “whether or not I make out with you kind of depends on why you want to make out, you know?” 

“Yeah,” Nate says. “I’m sorry, I just– it’s not just that. I thought about it, the other day, and I’ve been thinking about it since, and it’s sort of… weird?” 

Mikey scoffs. “Thanks.” 

“No, not because– not like that,” he says. “I guess I just don’t know why.” 

“Why what?” Mikey asks. 

“Why I can’t stop thinking about it. And why it’s weird,” Nate says. 

“So, I’m just gonna go out on a limb here and say that you should probably figure that out before you ask me to make out with you,” Mikey says. He’s not sure if he’s giving himself away, but whatever.  

“Probably,” Nate says. “I’m sorry.” 

“No, it’s cool,” Mikey says, forcing a smile. “Just– you know.”

“Yeah,” Nate says. 

Mikey climbs off the bed and sits on the floor, his back against the bedframe. 

Nate pouts. “You don’t have to get off the bed.” 

“Nah, your bed’s too small,” Mikey says. 

“Fine,” says Nate. “I’m coming down.” 

“Alright,” Mikey says. 

Nate ends up lying with his head on Mikey’s thigh until Mikey goes home, and every so often, Mikey catches Nate looking at him, his face considering. 

It’s something, at least. 

* * *

Mikey wakes up the next morning and Nate’s standing over his bed.

He startles and yanks his sheets up higher, which is dumb, because Nate’s seen him shirtless plenty of times. “Jeez,” he says. “Why’re you here?” 

“Sorry, sorry, your mom let me in,” Nate says. 

Mikey grabs his phone from the nightstand and sees that it’s 7:30. 

“What the fuck,” he says. “Did you drive all the way here?” 

“Didn’t sleep last night,” Nate says casually, like that’s somehow normal or healthy. “Sorry, I just–  I figured out why I want to make out with you. I think.” 

“You did,” Mikey says. He’s still very much asleep. 

“Yeah,” Nate says, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Like, I want to make out with you. That’s the reason.” 

“I… it wasn’t, like, a trick question, man,” Mikey says. 

“No, like– I want to kiss you, dude. Like, you have nice hair and you’re a really fast skater and I want to make out with you.” 

“Oh,” Mikey says, sitting up. “So you like… actually want to kiss me.”

“Yeah,” Nate says. “Sorry.” 

Mikey blinks. “What?” 

“Sorry,” Nate says again. “I didn’t– I don’t want to make things weird.” 

“Does this actually make things weirder for you?” Mikey asks. 

“I mean, doesn’t it make things weirder for you?” Nate says in response.

“Not really,” Mikey says. 

“So you don’t hate me for wanting to make out with you?” Nate asks. 

“Nope,” Mikey says, and feels a small smile grow across his face. 

“Oh,” Nate says, and he smiles back. “I’m gonna– if it’s okay,” he says, and Mikey laughs a little bit and nods. 

It’s Nate who leans in first, but Mikey meets him halfway, once he realizes that this is  _ happening,  _ that it’s not some weird dream, that this isn’t his half-asleep brain filling in details that aren’t there. Nate wants to kiss him, is kissing him, is– 

Nate is  _ kissing him.  _

Like, his lips are on Mikey’s lips, and they’re soft, and of course Mikey is kissing back, but it’s a few seconds before it hits him. So he might make a small noise of surprise like, a few seconds in, but then he leans in and  _ really  _ kisses back. With like, tongue and shit. 

Nate seems really into it, which is pretty gratifying. 

The angle is weird, but Mikey doesn’t want to pull away, so he lets Nate do it a few minutes later. 

Nate blinks. “Whoa,” he says. “That was cool.” 

“Cool, yeah” Mikey says. 

“Yeah,” Nate says. “I mean, it was more than cool. We should talk about it.”

“We should,” Mikey says. “I need coffee first.” 

“Shit, I should’ve brought that,” Nate says. “I had three cups before I drove here.”

“Right, that,” Mikey says. “Change of plans. You’re a disaster, and you need to sleep.” 

“No, I’m fine, I promise,” Nate says. “Really, I’m like, super pumped up right now.” 

“You’re gonna crash,” Mikey says. 

“What, the car?” Nate says. “Nah, I’m fine.” 

“You’re not getting in a car right now, dude,” Mikey says, scooting over and making space in his bed. “Get some sleep.” 

“Here?” Nate says, raising his eyebrows. 

“I mean, there’s the couch downstairs too,” Mikey says, shrugging. 

“No, here’s fine,” Nate says as he kicks off his shoes. “Thought I was too big to share a bed.” 

“If you spoon me, I think we’ll manage,” Mikey says. 

He means it sarcastically, but Nate does it anyway. 

* * *

Mikey wakes up underneath Nate, and he’s annoyed for like, three seconds. Then he’s sort of uncontrollably happy. He does have to breathe, though, so he kicks Nate in the shin.

“Ow,” Nate says, waking up. “Fuck you.” He rolls off of Mikey and sits on the edge of the bed. 

“Good morning. Or–” Mikey grabs his phone, which says it’s already 12:30. “Good afternoon,” he corrects. 

“Man, what’s happening,” Nate says. 

“You woke me up really fucking early to make out with me?” MIkey offers helpfully. 

Nate freezes. “Oh,” he says. “I did that.” 

“Yep,” Mikey says.

“And we were both cool with that, right?” Nate asks. 

“Were you?” Mikey asks. 

“I mean, I was if you were,” Nate says. 

“Well, same,” Mikey says. 

“So we agree that making out was fine,” Nate says. “Cool, awesome, what do we do with that?” 

“Let’s talk about it over coffee,” Mikey says, kicking the covers off his bed. 

* * *

Mikey doesn’t put a shirt on for the rest of the morning– or, technically, afternoon– and it may be a purposeful choice.

He’s trying to flirt, and he’s not really an expert on how to flirt with someone when they’re already your best friend and you’ve spent so long actively not flirting with them, but he figures putting on more clothes won’t help. 

Maybe he flexes a bit, too, but whatever. 

“Are you trying to seduce me?” Nate asks as Mikey scoops coffee into the machine. 

“Maybe,” Mikey says. 

“Did you make enough for me?” Nate asks, gesturing towards the coffee. 

“Duh.”

“Awesome.” 

Nate sits down at the table as Mikey gathers some food for a makeshift breakfast. “You know,” says Nate, “I feel like we should talk about feelings.” 

“If that’s how you feel, you’re already talking about your feelings,” Mikey says absently. 

“Wow, mindfuck,” Nate says sarcastically. “Seriously, though. Feelings.” 

“What feelings did you have in mind?” Mikey asks. 

“Ones that you might have for me? Maybe?” Nate says. 

“Oh,” Mikey says, sitting down next to Nate. “Can’t we start with yours instead?” 

“I asked first,” Nate says. He’s nervous, Mikey realizes. Mikey is too, but considering Nate drove all the way here and kissed him first, Mikey can give him this. 

“Fair,” he says. “I don’t know what to say, though.” 

Nate’s face kind of falls. “Oh.”

“No, it’s not– it’s not that I don’t have anything to say,” Mikey corrects quickly. “I just don’t know how to say it?” 

“Alright,” Nate says, and then he gulps. “Uh, do you– do you like me?”

“Yeah,” Mikey says, and he might be kind of lightheaded. 

“Oh,” Nate says. “Cool. Um, me too?”

Mikey’s face is burning, and he can’t bring himself to look Nate in the eye, and it’s kind of overwhelming, in the best way possible. He likes Nate, and Nate likes him back, and that’s– 

Nate  _ likes him.  _

“Cool,” Mikey says, and he realizes he’s smiling. 

“Yeah,” says Nate. Mikey picks up his head to look at him, and sees that he’s smiling too. 

“Just– only since last night?” Mikey asks. 

“I mean, I realized it last night. This morning? I don’t know, what do we call 5:30?” Nate says. “It was around then. But it’s probably– it didn’t just start, you know?” 

“Yeah,” Mikey says. 

“What about you?” Nate asks. 

“It’s been, uh, kind of a thing?” Mike says.

Nate’s eyes bug out. “What? Since when?” 

Mikey shrugs, and he can feel his face turn red. 

“How long, Mikey?” Nate asks, and he sounds way too excited about this. 

“A while,” Mikey begrudgingly admits. 

“Oh my god,” Nate says gleefully.

Mikey smiles. “Shut up.” 

“What, months? Oh my god, has it been months?” Nate asks. 

“Months, sure, let’s go with that,” Mikey says. 

“Wait,” Nate says. “Longer?”

“I said it was a while,” Mikey says. 

“Wow, this is– this is awesome,” Nate says. “Dude, you like me. Like, legit.” 

“Yeah, I do,” Mikey says. It’s weird to say out loud, but also kind of great. 

“And I like you. We like each other!” Nate says. 

The coffee maker beeps, and Mikey gets up. Nate follows him. 

“You lied to me,” Nate says. “You said you’d never thought about making out with me.” 

“Yep, huge lie,” Mikey says, grabbing mugs from the cabinet. 

“You thought about making out with me a lot.” 

Mikey rolls his eyes. “I mean, I thought about other stuff too.” 

“You’re right. There was hockey, sometimes. Other than that it was pretty much all just making out with me, right?”

Mikey pours the coffee and hands Nate a mug as he says, “Well, not  _ just  _ making out with you.” 

“You can’t say things like that while I have hot coffee and you’re shirtless,” Nate says. “Put that down.” 

“Alright,” Mikey says, and he feels pretty smug as he puts the coffee down on the counter. 

“We’re gonna really make out now,” Nate says, pinning Mikey against the counter. “Like, take a deep breath, because we’re not coming up for air for a while.” 

“I think I’ll manage,” says Mikey. 

“Oh my god, you’re so fucking cocky,” Nate says, and then he leans in. 

* * *

Nate’s had his arm around Mikey for the past hour, and they’re hanging out in Mikey’s backyard.

“Have I ever mentioned that I really like making out with you?” Nate asks. 

“Once or twice,” Mikey says, smiling. 

“Cool, just checking,” Nate says. “It would be a shame if you didn’t know that. You’re like, a really good kisser.” 

“Oh yeah?” Mikey asks. 

“Yeah. Pretty cute, too.” 

“Well, you’re like, really hot, so.” 

“You know what we should do?” Nate says. “We should date.” 

“Nah, that’s ridiculous,” Mikey says. “You’re way out of my league.” 

“Hm, I’d have to disagree with you on that,” Nate says. 

“You’re sweet,” Mikey says, leaning into Nate a little more. 

Nate presses a kiss into his head. “Only to you.” 

“Works for me,” Mikey says, closing his eyes. 

It’s late afternoon, and still so early in the summer. Nate’s warm, and there’s a small breeze blowing through the backyard, and Mikey thinks that it’s the most perfect moment he’s ever experienced. 

“Me too,” Nate says. 

Mikey smiles. 

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't find any common triggers in this story. As always, let me know if there's anything triggering that you think should be tagged!
> 
> A Small Bit Of Bonus Content:  
> -Here's a [primer](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7301578) on this pairing, if you want to learn more about #superbuddies  
> -This is a real-life Instagram exchange:  
>   
> It changed my life and I wanted to share it with you all.  
> -Nater seems like the kind of dude who stays up late looking at memes and semi-ironically watching hour-long videos on Nickelodeon conspiracy theories or whatever. I don't know how that's a vibe, but it's the vibe I get from him.  
> -After all that talk of coffee, they just abandon it on the counter to make out.  
> -Nater's horrible sleep choices are me calling myself out. The first draft of this was finished as the sun was rising. Yay summer?  
> -Brooklyn Nine-Nine was on in the background as I wrote this, which might account for the fact that they say "cool" eleven times.  
> -The unwritten sequel to this is just Dylan Strome rolling his eyes at them. 
> 
> Come talk to me on [tumblr!](https://lottswrites.tumblr.com/)


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